Spike-extractor.



PATENTED JUNE 12, '1906.

I J; w. GORSUCH. SPIKE EXTRAOTOR.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.7.1905.'

witnesses UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPlKE-EXTRACTOR- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed August '7, 1905. Serial No. 273,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WESLEY GoR- SUCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Junta, in the county of Otero and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spike-Extractors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to spike-extractors of the claw-bar type and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous extractor hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim appended.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a broken view, partly in side elevation and partly in section, illustrating the lower portion of my novel extractor. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same and Fig. 3 is an inverted plan View.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings.

My novel extractor is formed in one piece of steel or other suitable metal and comprises a handle-bar A and a body B, carried at the lower end of the handle and disposed generally at an obtuse angle thereto. At its forward end the said body B is provided with a claw 0, having sides a, which are fiat on their under sides, as indicated by b, and have adj acent beveled edges 0, which converge rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. At its rear end the body B is provided with a heel D, disposed parallel to its forward end, while intermediate of the rear end of the claw O and the heel D the body has a convex bottom portion E, which reaches below the under side of the claw O, as best shown in Fig. 1.

In the practical use of the extractor the same is arranged as shown in Fig. 1that is to say, it is placed with the convex portion E and the forward lower portion of the claw O on a railway-tie or other support, and in such position is pushed or driven into engagement with the spike to be extracted. When it is necessary to drive the extractor into engagement with the spike, it will be apparent that the heel D affords an abutment for hammerblows and one which is disposed at right angles to the direction in which it is desired to drive the extractor. When the extractor is pushed or driven into engagement with a spike,as stated, it will be observed that in virtue of the edges 0 of the claw O being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the said edges will pass under the head of the spike and by so doing will tend to start the spike in its upward movement. It will further be observed that after the edges 0 of the claw C are positioned, as stated, relative to a spike it is simply necessary to bear downwardly or exert downward pressure on the outer portion of the handlebar A, since when this is done the convex portion E will serve as a fulcrum, with the re sult that the claw C will be moved upwardly and will carry with it the spike.

The converging of the edges 0 on the sides of the claw O toward the rear, as shown in Fig. 3 and before referred to, is advantageous because it facilitates positioning of the claw relative to a spike to be drawn, and yet enables said claw to take secure hold of the spike.

I claim The spike-extractor described comprising a handle-bar, and a body formed integral with the handle-bar at the lower end thereof and disposed at an obtuse angle to said bar; the said body having a claw at its forward end, the top of which is closed and the depending sides of which are flat and inclined upwardly and rearwardly at their under sides and are provided with rearwardly converged, beveled edges, and also having a heel at its rear end arranged parallel to said forward end, and a convex portion intermediate the rear end of the claw and the heel and reaching below the same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN WESLEY GORSUOH.

Witnesses:

CHAs. R; BUCKEY, K. N. KIRKPATRICK. 

